Condenser circulating system



' July 16, 9 6 F. D. SHUMATE ET AL I CONDENSER CiRCULATING SYSTEM Filed July 23, 1942 V V '/////////////////////////////A a 7 ,4 A V Frank .27. .Ehizmate Gav/'7: W 5551/7016 IN ENTORS ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1946 CONDENSER CIRCULATING SYSTEM 7 Frank D. Shumate, Larchmont, N. Y., and George W. Saathofl, South Orange, N. J.;said-Shumate assignor to Worthington Pump and Machinery Corporation, Harrison, N. J., a corporation of Delaware; said Saathofi assignor to Helen S.

Davis, Lexington, Mass.

Application July 23, 1942, Serial No. 452,010 1 12 Claims. (01. 257-44) This invention relates to power plants or sysv tems, and more particularly to coolin water circulating systems for surface steam condensers, heat transfer or cooling devices employed there- Such power plants are often located upon rivers and are dependent thereon for their supply of cooling water. The water level of such rivers varies widely with the seasons and is further affected by rainfall. Or, the power plant may be located at some height above the water level of the source of supply of cooling water, as upon a bluif adjacent a river or lake. In such locations, the system of the present invention is particularly desirable and adaptable.

Patents No. 1,769,671, issued July 1, 1930, and 1,762,115, issued June 3, 1930, refer to installations of this character, such as those installations in the Ohio River Valley, and describe the conditions met therein. The invention of these prior patents deals with the provision of economical circulation of cooling water in power plants of this type.

The present invention provides, in a system of this kind, a primary motor driven pump and a secondary or booster pump driven by a hydraulic turbine, the latter bein operated by the return or discharging circulating cooling water of the condenser system, thus permitting both the primary and secondary pumps to be designed with characteristics required for most emcient and practical performance of their respective duties, increasing the over-all efficiency and economy of the systemf An object of the present invention is to provide, in a circulating cooling water system for steam condensers in a power plant of the class above referred to, means of varying the static head on the hydraulic turbine utilizing the cooling water, after discharge from the condenser, as its motivating power.

Control of the static head on the hydraulic turbine is provided by means of a penstock or control well between the circulating water outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the hydraulic turbine, together with means for varying the water level in such penstock or control well through a wide range.

Control of the static head on the turbine permits the hydraulic turbine driven pump to be operated at its most efficient point in relation to the total dynamic head thereon, the total dynamic head on the motor driven pump, the static head on the hydraulic turbine and the water level in the source of cooling water supply.

More specifically, the present invention embodies means of maintaining, by suitable control means, any static head upon the hydraulic turbir'ie, within the range determined 'bythe depth of the penstock, so that under varylng'conditions of river level the maximum possiblefload can be thrown upon the turbine' driven pump, thereby putting the minimum possible 1oad upon the'motor driven pump and thus-keeping the power'consumption of the motor driven pump at the lowest possible point under all conditions of varying: river level.

With these and other objects in view, as may I appear from the accompanying specification,- the invention consists of various features of con struction and combination of parts,'which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing a condenser circulatin'g'system of the preferred form embodying the invention,'and the features forming the invention will bespecifically pointed out in theolaims. l l In the drawing: v 1 Figure 1 is a, 'diagramm'atic view of a system employing the present invention. F f v Figure 2 is a view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the turbine and the adjustable inlet gates associated therewith.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,'l indicates a surface condenser of anyapproved type such as is employed in a, power plant'for condensing steam and through which condenser cooling water is circulated for condensing thesteam therein. The cooling water enters thecondenser through the inlet pipe 2 andleave'sit through the outlet pipe 3. I v The cooling water is taken from any' suitable supply source (not shown) through the channel 4, and ispicked up by the primary motor" driven pump 5, from which it is discharged throughthe discharge pipe 6 into the suction of the secondary or booster pump 1. The secondary or booster pump 1 discharges the water through suitable piping 8 into the inlet piping 2 of the surface con; denser I.

A by-pass 9 is provided in which a check valve I0 is situated so that when the valv H'inthe discharge piping E to the suction of the booster pump 1 and the valve I2 in the pipe 8 are'closed, the discharge from the primary pump 5'wil1pass' directly into the by-pass 9 and into'the inlet'pipe 2, cutting out the booster pump 1. Thebooster pump 1 is of any approved type of centrifugal pump adapted for the service, an'd in cludes an impeller (not shown) which'is'driven {II} by the driving shaft l4. Thedriving fshaft l-l i's connected by means of a shaft l6 of a hydraulic turbine I'L'so that the booster pump 1 will i be driven by the hydraulic turbine H.

The primary pump is driven by an electric motor or othersuitable prime mover, as indicated at i8, and both this prime mover l8 and the condenser l are placed at relatively high elevations above the water channel 4 and the discharge.

water channel l9, into which the turbine i1 discharges This places these elements of the power "type of installation practical and desirable.

The primary pump 5 may be of any approved coupling l5 to the driven inlet of plus that produced by the booster pump 1 over- 4 denser I. When the line to the condenser l is filled, and'the condenser itself is filled with the cooling water, the cooling water flows into the pipe 3 and thus into thecontrol well 2!), filling the control well o-rpenstock 23 to a point or level at which. the gates 22 of the turbine I l are opened by float mechanism 25 and with'valve 28 open the turbine I! will operate. This causes the '-pump 1 to generate additional pressure in the pipe 8 which will close check valve IQ, causing' the discharge of the pump 5 to flow into the pump i and add to the total head produced.'

-The point of'ulti'm'ate capacity is reached when.

the quantity'and head produced by the pump 5 comes the, frictional losses in the system plus the head required by the hydraulic turbine ll.

type of construction of water circulating pump" having a head capacity characteristic of suificient rise to. circulate some water-throughthe circulating" systemand condenser upon starting of. the

apparatus and before the secondary or. booster pump 1 comesinto operation. The driver may beofzconstantor variable speed type, depending upon conditions of service to be met.

The secondary or'booster pump I is of any approvedxtypeof centrifugal pump having the necessary and desired characteristics for performing its particular duties, and it has the same capacity: in gallons per minute as theprimary pump 5, its function being to boost the total dynamic head v to that required by the water circulating system.

The hydraulic turbine I1 is driven by thewater inthe circulating system after it leaves the condenser i. The outlet pipe3 of the con denser I discharges into a control well or penstock 26, which latter has a pipe 2i connected to its low- 1 ermost portion. The pipe 21 delivers the circulating water to the inletofthe hydraulic turbine l1, and the operation of the hydraulic turbine I1 is controlled by means of the adjustable inlet gates 22, which areof'the usual'type of construction employed in hydraulic turbines.

i The gates 22 areadjusted or shifted by a shifting: rod 23, which is in turn .connected'by suitable linkage, as indicated at 24, with a float mechanism 25. The float mechanism 25 is positionedin. the controlwell 26, and rises or falls with: variation of the water level in the control well,'thereby controlling the position of the inlet gates 22 of the hydraulic turbine I! in accordance with. variations in the quantity of waterv within the control well 20.

I The controlwell or penstock 2il'has an auxiliary v theturbine..,l'l,b ut. increase'the discharge. pressure or the pump 5 by a like. amount. Thisaction continues until the head .on the turbine H has reduced sufjciently tomake it .unable. to pass the full quantity of water available even with the gates 22 wide open. Under such conditions some of the water-will be forced to spill at the weir-29.

Whenthe levelof. water' in. the sourceof supplyhas risen to a point where the turbine power is insufiicient to drive. the. booster pump! .fast enough to. develop any head-the turbine H is cut out of thesystem during the. circulation of. cooling, water .through the. system, the auxiliary out let 26 is opened, causingthe water levelin the well 28 to fall by allowing the water. to flow out of the control well into theweir b05129; At such times the weir box may be utilized to determine the.disc harge capacity of the motor driven primary pump 5. While in. the drawing, and in the foregoing description the. primarypump 5 and. the booster pump 7 are shown as connected in series, it is to be understood that the present invention. may also be employedina system having the primary and booster pumps connected. in parallel, such as is shown in Figure 2 of our companion application,

filed August 19, 1941, Serial No. 407,446, with- It will be understood that the invention is not to be. limited to the specific. construction or are outlet 26'therein located at a predetermined position above the bottom of the well. The aux iliary outlet 26 is normally closed by a sluice gate or other suitable type of valve, as indicated at 2-1. The sluice gate or valve 21 is opened when the hydraulic turbine I! is cut out of the circulating system, either through the closing of the valves Hand 12', or by the closing of the valve 28, which is positioned in the pipe 2| between the control well or penstock 20' and the turbine inlet. When the sluice gate 21' is open, the water flows from. the control. well 20 into a weir box 29', from which the water overflows to any suitable point of disposal. The weir 29 serves to maintain aminimum water level for sealing pur- F poses in the control. well or penstock 29. 7

rangement. oi parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the invention the claims.

What is claimed is: r r

1. In. a power plant, the combination with a source of cooling water supply, of asurface condenser, a circuit for cooling water for. said condensena primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit and having its inlet defined by connected to the discharge of the primary pump,

a turbine in said circuit driven. by water flowing away from the condenser, said secondary pump connected to said turbine for operation thereby,

and means for controlling the total static head.

onthe inlet of said hydraulic-turbine under variations in the water level in said source of supply.

2. In a power plant, the combination with a source of cooling water supply, of a surface condensena circuit for cooling water for said Candenser, a primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit, a turbine inv said circuit driven by water flowing away from the 'ggcondenser, said secondary pum being connected to saidturbine-for operation thereby, and a con' trol well'in the line between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the turbine'to maintain the static head on the inlet of the turbine approximately constant under variations in the water level in said source of supply.

3. In a power plant, the combination with a source of cooling water supply, of a surface condenser, a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit, a hydraulic turbine in said circuit driven by water flowing away from the condenser, said secondary pump being connected to said turbine for operation thereby, I

a valved by-pass in said circuit constructed and arranged to permit said hydraulic turbine to be cut out of the circulating systems, means for maintainingthe static head on the inlet of said turbine approximately constantunder variations in the water level in the source of supply, and means for rendering said static head maintaining means ineffective when said turbine is cut out of the circulating system.

4. In a power plant, the combination with a source of supply of cooling water, of a surface condenser, a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit, a hydraulic turbine in said circuit driven by water flowing away from the condenser, said secondary pump being connected to said turbine for operation thereby, a valved by-pass in said circuit constructed and arranged to permit said hydraulic turbine to be cut out of the circulating system, a control well in the line between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the turbine, means actuated by the level of water in said well to control the static head on the inlet of the turbine under variations in the water level in said supply source, and means for lowering the water level in said control well to a level ineffective to control the static head on the turbine.

5, In a power plant, the combination with a source of supply of cooling water, of a surface condenser, a circuit for cooling Water for said condenser, a primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit, a turbine in said circuit driven by water flowing away from the condenser, said secondary pump being connected to said turbine for operation thereby, a control well in the line between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the turbine, said turbine embodying inlet control gates, and means operated by variation in the water lever in the control well for operating said gates.

6. In a power plant, the combination with a supply source of cooling water, of asurface condenser, a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump in said circuit, a secondary pump in said circuit, a hydraulic turbine in said circuit drven by water flowing away from the condenser, said secondary pump being connected to said turbine for operation thereby, a valved by-pass in said circuit constructed and arranged to permit said hydraulic turbine to be cut out of the circulating system, a control well in the line between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the turbine, means for lowering the Water level in said control well, said turbine embodying inlet control gates, and means operated by variation in the water level in the control well for operating said gates.

'7. In a power plant, the combination with a condenser, of a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump including an impeller 6 in 'saidcircuit for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having anim peller in s'aid'circuit, aturbine in said-circuit operatively connected with said s'econdarypump and driven by water flowing from said condenser to aid said 'primary'pump in circulating waterto said condenser, means for cutting 'said seco'ndary pump and said turbine out of said circuit to cause said primary pump-alone to circulate cooling water to 'said'condense'r, and means for discharging cooling water from said circuit at a point between the condenser and said turbine and so constructed and arranged as to maintain the circuit sealed with respect to the atmosphere at the point of discharge. I

8. Ina power plant, the combination with a surface condenser, of a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump including an impellerin said circuit for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having an impeller in said circuit and having its inlet connected with the discharge of said primary pump, a turbine in said circuit operatively connected with said secondary pump and driven by water flowing from said condenser to aid said primary pump in circulating water to said condenser, and a valved by-pass for cutting said secondary pump out of said circuit.

9. In a power plant, the combination with a surface condenser, of a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump including an impeller in said circuit for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having an impeller in said circuit and having its inlet connected with the discharge of said primary pump, a turbine in said circuit operatively connected with saidsecondary pump and driven by water flowing from said condenser to aid said primary pump in circulating water to said condenser, and a valved by-pass for cutting said turbine out of said circuit.

10. In a power plant, the combination with a surface condenser, of a circuit ior cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump including an impeller in said circuit 'for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having an'impeller in said circuit and having its inlet connected with the discharge of said primary pump, a turbine in said circuit operatively connected with said secondary pump and driven by water flowing from said condenser to aid said primary pump in circulating Water tosaid condenser, and a valved by-pass for cutting said secondary pump and the turbine out of said circuit.

k 11. In a power plant, the combination with a surface condenser, of a circuit for cooling water for said condenser, a primary pump including an impeller in said circuit for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having an impeller in said circuit, a turbine in said circuit operatively connected with said secondary pump and drven by water flowing from said condenser to aid the primary pump in circulating water to said condenser, said turbine having inlet control gates, a well interposed in said circuit on the discharge side of said condenser, and

means responsive to variations in the level of cooling water in said Well for adjusting said gates in accordance with the level of the cooling water in the well,

12. In a power plant, the combination with a surface condenser, of a circuit for cooling water from said condenser, a primary pump including an impeller in said circuit for circulating cooling water to said condenser, a secondary pump having, an impeller in said circuits, turbine in said circuit operatlvely connected with said secondary pump and driven by water flowing from said condenser to aid the, primary pump in circulating Water to said, condenser, said turbine having inlet control gates, at well interposed in said circuit on the dischargeside of said condenser, and means responsive to variations the level of cooling water in said well for open- I 8 mg and closing said: gates in accordance-with rising, and lowering levels, respectively, of the cooling Water in the well, said Well being provided with a cooling water "discharge so constructed and arranged as tomaintainthe circuit'sealed with respect to the atmosphere regardless: of, the cooling water level in the well.

FRANK D. SHUMATE. GEORGE W. SAATHOFF. 

